Author Maggie Joel’s latest book is The Safest Place in London – set in a tube station shelter during the wartime winter of 1944. So, we’re here in this bomb shelter talking to Maggie. (Yes, we’re regretting the location already.) So Maggie, for readers who haven’t acquainted themselves with your
Today we’re in a room chatting with writer Charlotte Wood about her book, The Writer’s Room – which has been described as “a rich and sympathetic resource for writers”. So Charlotte, can you tell us more about the book? “It’s a collection of 12 long-form interviews with established Australian writers
Evelyn Skye’s debut novel is The Crown’s Game – a kind of Russia meets Westeros affair. Evelyn has been described as an avid pizza and cookie eater who was once offered a job in the CIA, yet actually wishes she could go on a dancing reality show. She seemed worth
Today we’re sitting in a crowded train station waiting to chat with crime and thriller author Gary Kemble, author of Bad Blood – the second novel in his Harry Hendrick series. When he arrives, we’re not supposed to turn around so we don’t draw suspicion. Hi Gary. (Is that you
This week, we’re chatting with writer Isabelle Li – author of A Chinese Affair. So, tell us Isabelle, for those who haven’t read your book, what’s it about? “A Chinese Affair consists of 16 short stories, exploring the experience of recent Chinese migration to Australia – what it means to
Hot off the press is the first novel from Australian author Rajith Savanadasa, Ruins. “A stunning debut novel from a fresh voice in Australian fiction, for fans of Zadie Smith and Rohinton Mistry,” says the press for this one. So we asked around and tracked him down to answer a
Sue Whiting is a successful Australian author writing for children and young adults. She also now teaches at the Australian Writers’ Centre, so we cornered her at the water cooler and threw some questions her way. Hi Sue. Your background is in primary school teaching. Was there a spark or
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have just announced their shortlist for the 2016 Book of the Year and we were so excited to see AWC Writing Picture Books presenter Danny Parker among the list of amazing authors. Danny’s acclaimed picture book Perfect, with illustrations by Freya Blackwood, has been shortlisted
Ideas for books can come at any moment, and for author Karyn Sepulveda, hers happened in one of the most common places. But more on that in a moment. We’re talking about the newly released Young Adult fantasy novel, Choosing Xaverique and we’re talking with Karyn. Hi Karyn, so what’s
Not to be confused with the upcoming all-female remake of Ghostbusters, this brand new novel – Ghost Girls (Echo Publishing) – takes place mainly in and around Sydney’s Chinatown district, with enough mystery and intrigue to shake many sticks at. We wanted to get to the bottom of this story,
Editor, graphic designer, freelance writer, blogger, productivity ponderer and self-confessed perfectionist Kelly Exeter is also an author – and her latest book has just been released. It’s called Practical Perfection and it’s all about “smart strategies for an excellent life”. We quizzed everyone in the office and we all wanted
So Nicole Hayes is going gangbusters right now – with her YA fiction novels being so well received right across Australia and beyond. But her latest book, From the Outer: Footy like you’ve never heard it, is a collection of stories written by a range of different people about the
Katrina Nannestad is the author of children’s fiction book Olive of Groves – shortlisted for the 2016 Indie Awards. We contacted her to find out more, and Katrina was only too happy to answer a few questions. So, Katrina, for those who haven’t read Olive of Groves yet, can you
Back in 1987, Guns N’ Roses wrote “Take me down to the Paradise City, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.” Nearly 30 years later, author CJ Duggan writes of another Paradise City – in coastal Australia – where the grass may not be quite so green,
We’re here today with Alison Goodman – New York Bestselling author of the fantasy duology EON and EONA. Her latest novel is The Dark Days Club – book one of a new trilogy, which has been described as “a delicious collision of Regency romance and dark fantasy”. So Alison, how
Every successful author had a first novel – the one that started it all and paved the way for what followed. Fortunes may shift up and down, but you are a first-time novelist just once. And like many other “first times”, there’s often a story to be told. Jackie French
In a recent episode of our top-rating podcast So you want to be a writer, Allison Tait chatted with popular Young Adult (YA) writer Ellie Marney. (And when we say popular, we’re talking about her novel, Every Breath, being one of only two Australian novels on the 2015 list of most
In late 2015, Allison Tait caught up with picture book author Danny Parker for a chat as part of our So you want to be a writer podcast. Danny and his family have been in Australia since 2004 – arriving from the UK on something of an adventure and never
Nicole Hayes is an author, speaker and writing teacher based in Melbourne. She has an MA in Creative Writing and runs writing workshops at different locations in and around Melbourne. Nicole’s first novel, The Whole of My World, was shortlisted in the 2014 Young Australian Best Book Awards (YABBA) and
Andy Griffiths is one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, best known for the Treehouse series, the JUST! books, and the delightfully titled The Day My Bum Went Psycho. The 65-Storey Treehouse hit shelves in August 2015, to the great excitement of children everywhere. And amid this furious launching frenzy,
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